The invention relates in general to electrical connectors. More particularly, the invention relates to methods and apparatuses for reducing cross-talk in high speed electrical connectors.
Electrical connectors provide signal connections between electronic devices using signal contacts. Often, the signal contacts are so closely spaced that undesirable cross-talk occurs between nearby signal contacts. Cross-talk occurs when one signal contact induces electrical interference in a nearby signal contact thereby compromising signal integrity. With electronic device miniaturization and high speed electronic communications becoming more prevalent, the reduction of cross-talk becomes a significant factor in connector design.
One method for reducing cross-talk is to provide separate shields within the connector. In this manner, the shields act to block the cross-talk from affecting nearby signal contacts. With connector space being a premium, however, shields take up valuable space within the connector that could otherwise be used for more signal contacts. Shields also reduce characteristic impedance of adjacent differential pairs, often making it difficult to achieve the desired characteristic impedance in high density connectors. In addition to spacing and impedance issues, manufacturing and inserting the connector shields increases the overall manufacturing costs associated with the connectors. Therefore, a need exists for a high speed electrical connector (one that operates above 1 Gb/s) that reduces the occurrence of cross-talk without the need for separate shielding plates.
The invention satisfies the aforementioned need by providing a high speed connector (operating above 1 Gb/s) that prevents the incidence of multi-active cross-talk. In this manner, and in one embodiment of the invention, the differential pairs and ground contacts are arranged within the connector in such a manner so as to reduce undesirable multi-active cross-talk that occurs between the differential pairs.
In particular, and in one embodiment of the invention, a high speed electrical connector for connecting a plurality of electrical devices is disclosed. Specifically, the connector includes a connector housing and a plurality of columns of differential contact pairs disposed within the housing, each differential contact pair includes a first signal contact for transmitting a signal having a first polarity and a second signal contact for transmitting a signal having a second polarity, opposite to said first polarity. The connector also includes a plurality of ground contacts wherein a ground contact is disposed between each differential contact pair within each column of differential contact pairs and wherein each column of differential contact pairs and ground contacts is offset from an adjacent column such that multi-active cross-talk is reduced with respect to each differential contact pair.